Posts Tagged ‘DE’

As most of you know, I teach Basic Blogging and Social Media Savvy Workshops for The Money School of Delaware. These workshops are usually held at the Bear Library, close to home in Middletown.

However, last week I taught a workshop at the New Castle Library in Old New Castle which is a beautiful, quaint little town about 30 minutes from my home.

The class was very interactive and I was glad that all of these “future Delaware bloggers” came out on such a beautiful day. Because it was such a beautiful Saturday, after the workshop, Beverly Powers, an attendee, author and friend of mine decided to have lunch, stroll through the town and then take a walk through Battery Park.

We decided to have lunch at Jessop’s Tavern a small Colonial Style restaurant where I ordered a delicious salad topped with shrimp and Beverly ordered the same but with salmon.

The salads were both large enough to satisfy our hunger as well as filling enough to justify the walk down to Battery Park.

We stopped along to way to take pictures as I had never been to Old New Castle during the day and after living in Delaware for over 30 years it was fun being a tourist in my own state.

Old New Castle is a beautiful place so the next time I visit, I will ask hubby if he would care to join me.

As a matter of fact, starting in July there will be free summer concerts in Battery Park on Wednesdays, so we will definitely come back for one of them.

It was a bit windy once we got to Battery Park but there were a lot of people out and about either walking, having a family picnic, reading, or just relaxing on a park bench enjoying the beautiful sunshine. We took the opportunity to take more pictures and to broadcast few Facebook Livestream videos.

As we returned to our vehicles we peeked into the windows of several stores that were closed due to the lateness of the day.

We picked up a tourist brochure which were available outside of the Mayor’s office and read about the Historic New Castle Heritage Trail with tours on Wednesday through Sunday. These audio self-guided tours are also available online at newcastlehistory.org

It was fun being a tourist in my state of Delaware and I will definitely make plans to come back when the shoppes are open.

How about you, have you ever been a tourist in your own town?

Louis L. Redding, prominent African American lawyer and civil rights pioneer, was born in 1901.

Born in Alexandria, VA, Louis Lorenzo Redding grew up in Wilmington, DE, and graduated from Howard High School in 1919. Lawyer Redding, as he was affectionately called, continued his education and graduated from Brown University in 1923 and from Harvard Law School in 1928. In 1929, Redding became the first Black lawyer in Delaware. He was a respected civil rights pioneer for Delaware and America. prominent lawyer and civil rights advocate from Wilmington, Delaware. Redding, the first African American to be admitted to the Delaware bar, was part of the NAACP legal team that challenged school segregation in the Brown v. Board of Education case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 1950, Redding compiled a case against the University of Delaware, which barred black students. But the university’s chancellor, wanting to avoid a trial, decided to desegregate, becoming the first federally-funded institution to do so.

He also presented legal arguments that provided for the desegregation of schools in Claymont and Hockessin in 1952. In 1954, Mr. Redding assisted Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, legal counsel for the NAACP, in the Brown vs. Education case, which struck down the “separate but equal” system of public school segregation across the country. These are but a small portion of the many great deeds that Lawyer Redding accomplished in his lifetime.

He fought to open schools and housing for minorities. A school The Louis L. Redding Intermediate School in Middletown, DE, was renamed for him.

“What we were doing was not addressed to the purpose of singularly changing lives,” wrote Redding. “We were trying to change the status and experience of a minority of Americans who happened to be Black. We were not trying to change our lives; we were trying to change the opportunities of American citizens.”

Louis L. Redding died on September 28, 1998. In 2000, the University of Delaware established the Louis L. Redding Chair in their School of Education.

On a Thankful Thursday two weeks ago I was invited to attend a Gratitude Celebration hosted by the fabulous photographer Geneva Fonda. The Evite came as a surprise as I had only met her once and for a short period of time when I covered the Women in Business Luncheon back in December. She was one of the honorees so I asked to take her picture, we exchanged business cards and that was the last time I saw her. The Evite sat in my inbox and there were several times that I was going to delete it, but changed my mind and RSVP’d, and I am glad that I did.

The Evite clearly stated that we weren’t expected to make a purchase but simply to come and enjoy ourselves in celebration of the 3 years of blessings for Geneva Fonda Photography. I made my way into Wilmington after work and arrived at the Film Brothers Movie Co-Op where the event was being held.

There were already several people in attendance, and the atmosphere was light and cheerful. I was immediately greeted by Geneva and introduced to several other attendees. There was a delicious hot and cold buffet provided by Sherms Catering, a beverage bar and smooth sounds being played courtesy of Geneva’s husband.

Networking, meeting and greeting with gratitude.

Geneva is truly a beautiful woman both inside and out whom I am thankful to have met!

There were also several Giveaways including a full photography session as just another way of saying, “thank you for your support!“

Winners of the Giveaways

Thank you Geneva, I am wishing you many more years of blessings and success!

Hello Friends and Happy Monday

You may or may not have heard that Middletown was recently ranked #2 behind Millsboro as the best town for young families in Delaware. The ranking came from a study conducted by NerdWallet.com, and as a resident of Middletown for the past 21 years, I was curious as to how the determination was made.

NerdWallet.com only used data from GreatSchools.org which uses standardized test scores in ranking schools, Appoquinimink School District ranked 8th out of 10 with Millsboro at 9th. Other areas such as a town’s accessible walkways, parks and recreation and youth sports leagues were not taken into consideration.

As a parent that raised two sons in Middletown, I would also like to add that Middletown is a safe and racially diverse town, one that it home to very friendly people.

Last Saturday I attended my first Blogger’s Meetup which was held in Washington, DC and sponsored by the BLMGirls DMV Chapter. BLMGirls.comaka “Bloggers Like Me is an online community of women bloggers created by Leslie Young dedicated to the positive exchange of ideas, tips and advice about fashion, beauty, relationships, faith and everything in between. Through blogging, meetups and social networking we encourage each other and focus on REALationship building!”

The Experience was also simultaneously being held by the Chapters in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles. When I initially registered for the event I didn’t realize it was during the Labor Day weekend and I almost changed my mind as I did not want to be stuck in Holiday traffic. Thankfully, the trip to DC was delayed only by a few minor back ups about a half an hour from the venue. At 2:30 pm, I arrived at the 201Bar, after finding a free-to-park lot across the street on Massachusetts Ave NE (I love FREE). Upon entering this modernly decorated tavern I was immediately greeted by our hostesses Whitney James and Karen Curtis.

Each table setting held a pink Welcome Folder that contained worksheets including a “Getting to Know You” form and on a separate table there were Swag Bags. I was the first to arrive but shortly afterwards more lovely ladies began to enter, including my Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority sister who had traveled up from North Carolina.

As more ladies arrived it quickly became a festive atmosphere enhanced only by the mingling which intensified as we got down to the business of completing the “Getting to Know You” form. As we mixed and mingled the waitstaff began to bring out trays containing the most scrumptious Hors d’eouvres; an assortment of Egg Rolls, Mini Crab Cakes, Jerk Shrimp, Skewered Beef, and Flat Bread Pizza. We were also given 1 drink ticket for which I used mine for a glass of the house Red Wine – you know me!

The theme of the BLMGirls Experience was Building and Growing your Brand by building REALationships. Our guest speaker, Arsha Jones of BrandBuildSell provided a lively and very informational presentation on Branding Your Blog. Throughout the presentation she allowed ample time for sharing as well as questions and answers from the group. We took a short break to dine on Seasoned Chicken Wings, Rolls, Sliced Turkey and Mini Dessert Bars.

At the conclusion of Arsha’s presentation, Whitney’s husband, the designated photographer took a few group photos outside and The Experienceended just as it had started – Perfectly. Our “Swag Bag” contained a #BLMGirls TShirt and a sample of “Capital City Mumbo Sauce“, a product made and marketed by Arsha and her husband.

It definitely was a wonderful Experience and I’m glad to have met some amazing Bloggers Like Me and to finally see the faces behind the blogs. Driving home was smooth sailing and I look forward to the next BLMGirls DMV Experience.

Have it your way..NOT today…at least not at Burger King on Concord Pike in Wilmington. Fast Food employees at this location joined in with dozens of other workers in U.S. cities to protest their low pay and benefits.

Most workers agreed that the profits these corporations earn should be used to pay higher salaries and benefits which would be better for the economy. The minimum wage of $7.25 an hour or $15,000 a year for full time employees is not enough to support a family. Jobs which were once held by High School students are now being filled by men and women with families who are living paycheck to paycheck.

Burger King Worldwide stated that they do not make pay decisions for their independent franchises, but feels as though an increase in salaries would mean higher priced menu items.

Federal Labor Law gives all workers the right to engage in “protected concerted activities” to complain about wages, working conditions or other terms of employment. Therefore, those involved in today’s protests are protected and can return to work without repercussions. The local Police was also on hand to ensure walk-in and drive-thru customers were not affected.

What is your opinion on today’s Fast Food Protest. Should the minimum wage be raised to $9.00 an hour as proposed by The President or higher as requested by the workers?

Hello Friends and Happy Monday, I trust you all had a wonderful weekend!

If you read my post on Saturday you know I went to Goodwill for their annual 50% off sale and it was like a department store’s Grand Opening. The place was PACKED, there were long lines waiting for the dressing rooms, people pushing full carts of clothing, laughter and excitement when new items with tags were found and clerks rolling out full racks every 5 minutes, it was an amazing sight to see. Although I had only planned to go to Middletown, I kinda sorta wished I had also driven down to Smyrna and Dover.

I did however go with the purpose of getting an “I Love Thrifting” t-shirt, which Goodwill introduced earlier this month for $12.00. I have never ever purchased an item at Goodwill for that much, but the $12 cost for t-shirt is supporting a worthy cause and I am a proud Goodwill VIP who loves to thrift!

I was also intent on finding clothing for the Fall because I have more than enough shorts, tanks and skirts for the summer season which is rapidly coming to an end. I thrifted a dress, 2 tops, a pair of culottes and two maxi skirts all for under $14.00 – #winning

I can’t wait for the next big sale and if you are not a Goodwill VIP, it’s free to sign up and you’ll receive emails with dates for these events.

In my current job I no longer have much of an opportunity to travel and my daily commute from Middletown, DE to West Chester, PA can be quite boring. Yesterday I had the chance to make a site visit to Marlton, NJ, or as I like to call it, “Exit 4 on the Jersey Turnpike”. Not to say that driving straight away on the turnpike wasn’t boring because it was, what made it all worthwhile was the location itself.

The building is surrounded with a man made pond that has ducks, a fountain and beautiful flora. The Atrium is also serene and peaceful with tall palm trees, plants and flowers. I think coming into this building on a daily would put anyone in the right frame of mind no matter what the traffic was like in getting there. Here are just a few pictures of the outside, I will post the interior shots tomorrow.

Quasi Botanical Gardens

Blouse – Walmart // Capris – GW Boutique // Sandals -Rainbow Shop

There are tables and chairs if you want to sit outside to have lunch or just enjoy the view

On Wednesday, we welcomed a new little bundle to the family, it’s name is Spark, Chevy Spark. When Tayair pulled up the driveway I almost cried, it was the cutest little car I’ve ever seen. Not quite as small as a “Smart Car” but just as cute and compact as the Volkswagen Beetlewas back in the ’30’s.

The 2002 Hyundai Elantra that Malik was driving began acting up, even after a replaced engine, the brakes and rods began to go and it just nickeled and dimed us so it was time to get rid of it, we will donate it to Goodwill. We decided to hand down the 2005 Hondathat was purchased in April and then get Tayair a new vehicle. My husband had visited Diver Chevrolet last week and thought the Spark would be the perfect car for him, one that would get him from Point A to Point B and would last for many, many, many years!

Not having purchased a new vehicle since 2005, it was amazing to see all the bells and whistles in this basic car. I thought my friend’s Mercedes was loaded with amazing features but this little Spark was also equipped with some awesome controls, including Sirius XM Radio, Bluetooth, 9 airbags, USB outlet, touchscreen infotainment system, steering wheel mounted audio controls, and an emergency communication system (OnStar 6-month free trial).

I didn’t realize it was a 4-door, and squealed with delight when he opened the back doors, so cute and surprisingly comfortable with ample leg and head room.

The trunk was a bit too small for me and there isn’t a spare tire, instead an air compressor and a can of “fix it flat”, but with OnStar just a push of a button will get you emergency service.

This vehicle will be in the family for a long time to come and I can honestly say that it’s a welcomed addition even with the car payments!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post nor did I receive compensation for the writing of it, all opinions are 100% my own. I have no connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

From the Steve Harvey morning show….the KING OF PRANK CALLS himself – NEPHEW TOMMY performing live. You asked for the hottest and we have delivered to you. Come out and enjoy a weekend of shows at the plush IMAX Cinema.

Pre-sale tickets available today at 1-800-479-1065 or 302-275-8243.

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$40 GENERAL ADMISSION

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SATURDAY, JULY 13th & SUNDAY, JULY 14th7pm & 9:30pm EACH DAY
DOORS OPEN 1/2 PRIOR TO SHOW